2014 World Series of Poker

Event #15: $3,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2014 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
ak
Prize
$508,640
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,000
Prize Pool
$2,211,300
Entries
810
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
15,000

Event #15: $3,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em

Day 1 Completed

Brandon Cantu Comes on Strong at End of Night to Lead Day 1

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante
Brandon Cantu
Brandon Cantu

Event #15 of the 2014 World Series of Poker, a $3,000 buy-in six-handed no-limit hold’em tournament, attracted 810 players – three more than last year – and created a prize pool of $2,211,300. That will be distributed to the top 90 finishers with a hefty $508,640 going to the eventual winner.

The man best positioned to make a run at top prize and gold bracelet is Brandon Cantu, who emerged as the chip leader of the advancing 144 players with a stack of 244,700. Others still in contention are Barry Hutter (201,100), Andreas Hoivold (195,200), Nick Guagenti (178,100), and Davidi Kitai (141,900).

Cantu captured the chip lead in the penultimate hand of the night, which turned out to be “one of the greatest” hands he’s ever played. He told PokerNews all about it after conclusion of play.

Of course not everyone was so lucky. Chris Molica was the first player to fall, and it happened on the first hand of the day when a preflop raising war resulted in him getting his 9,000 starting stack in holding {a-}{q-} against Justin Gavri’s {a-}{k-}. The board ran out clean and Molica spent more time walking to the exit than he did in the tournament.

While Molica was the first to go, he certainly wasn’t the last. Among the hundreds to fall on Day 1 were Matt Kirby, who ran queens into the kings of Paul Newey; former November Niner Jason Senti, who was playing his first event of the summer; and 2013 WSOP Main Event champ Ryan Riess, who actually fell in the same hand as 2006 WSOP Player of the Year Jeff Madsen.

It happened in Level 3 (75/150) when Riess opened the action with a raise to 350. Madsen called from the button, Bryn Kenney came along from the big blind, and three players saw a flop of {k-}{9-}{7-} rainbow. Kenney checked, Riess bet 750, and Madsen made the call. Kenney then woke up with a check-raise to 2,100, Reiss three-bet to 4,000, and Madsen moved in for 5,500 total. Kenney then moved all in over the top and Riess called off his remaining chips.

Kenney: {9-}{7-}
Riess: {a-}{a-}
Madsen: {k-}{j-}

Kenney was in the lead with a flopped two pair, and it held as a {4-} blanked on the turn followed by a {10-} on the river.

Others who fell throughout the course of play were Jake Cody, TJ Cloutier, Brock Parker, Erick Lindgren, Antonio Esfandiari, Scott Clements, Scott Seiver, Jeremy Ausmus, Doug “WCGRider” Polk, David “Devilfish” Ulliott, Liv Boeree, and Phil Ivey.

Ivey late registered Event #15 after busting another tournament, and his stay was short. In Level 7 (200/400.50), he got his last ten big blinds in the middle from the small blind and his opponent in the big blind quickly made the call with {j-Diamonds}{j-Spades}. Ivey needed to find some help for his {k-Hearts}{9-Hearts}, but the board ran out {10-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}{8-Clubs} and Ivey's tournament and massage came to an abrupt halt.

While dozens of notables fell, many were able to navigate the tough field. Among those who punched their ticket to Day 2 were Michael Mizrachi (100,700), Will Failla (73,000), Phil Hellmuth (59,400), Todd Terry (52,000), Andrew Lichtenberger (40,300), Paul Volpe (24,800), and Jonathan Duhamel (22,200).

Day 2 will get underway at 2 p.m. on Friday as the returning players look to play through the money bubble on their way to the final table, or at least as close as they can get in ten more one-hour levels of play. The PokerNews Live Reporting will be bringing you all the action, so be sure to join us then.

Tags: Brandon Cantu

End-of-Day 1 Chip Counts (full)

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante
Player Chips Progress
Brandon Cantu us
Brandon Cantu
244,700 114,700
WSOP 2X Winner
Barry Hutter us
Barry Hutter
201,100 51,100
WSOP 1X Winner
Andreas Hoivold no
Andreas Hoivold
195,200
Nick Guagenti us
Nick Guagenti
178,100 28,100
WSOP 1X Winner
Davidi Kitai be
Davidi Kitai
141,900 -13,100
Winamax Team Pro
WSOP 3X Winner
Byron Kaverman us
Byron Kaverman
133,600 33,600
WSOP 1X Winner
Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
128,700 83,700
David Chase us
David Chase
122,900 12,900
Benjamin Horgan us
Benjamin Horgan
114,500 24,500
Mark Dube us
Mark Dube
108,400 8,400
Cody Slaubaugh us
Cody Slaubaugh
104,500 29,700
Michael Mizrachi us
Michael Mizrachi
100,700 5,700
WSOP 5X Winner
Adam Bernstein us
Adam Bernstein
96,000
Jake Toole us
Jake Toole
95,700
Steve Bartlett us
Steve Bartlett
94,000
Tony Gargano us
Tony Gargano
92,900 3,900
Robert Panitch us
Robert Panitch
91,300 41,300
Terrence Chan ca
Terrence Chan
82,400 12,400
WSOP 1X Winner
Ayman Qutami us
Ayman Qutami
82,200
Dinesh Alt ch
Dinesh Alt
79,800
Bill Burford us
Bill Burford
77,500
Gino Levrini us
Gino Levrini
75,600
Hunter Frey us
Hunter Frey
75,200 -9,800
Zachary Korik us
Zachary Korik
74,600
Will Failla us
Will Failla
73,300 13,300

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Three More Hands

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante

The tournament staff has just announced the remaining players will play three more hands at each table before bagging and tagging for the night. We're headed out to compile some chip counts, so stay tuned for those as well as a full recap of the Day 1 action.

"I Prefer Vodka"

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth

With 5,500 in the pot and a flop of {k-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}, Phil Hellmuth checked and his sole opponent did the same.

"I don't have the guts to bluff you," Hellmuth's opponent admitted.

After the dealer burned and turned the {7-Clubs}, Hellmuth led out for 2,500 and his opponent folded.

"It's good to have the nuts at the end of the night," Hellmuth said with a smile.

"I prefer vodka," his opponent deadpanned, which brought a chuckle from the "Poker Brat."

Player Chips Progress
Phil Hellmuth us
Phil Hellmuth
53,000 13,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 17X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

Mizzi Hangs On

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante
Sorel Mizzi
Sorel Mizzi

After two players limped, a short-stacked Sorel Mizzi moved all in from the button for his last 7,500. The player in the small blind folded, and then the one in the big moved all in over the top for 17,000 or so. The two limpers folded and the cards were turned up.

Mizzi: {9-Spades}{9-Clubs}
Opponent: {a-Spades}{7-Spades}

Mizzi was in good shape to double, but an ace in the window put things in doubt. Fortunately it was followed by a third nine for Mizzi when the flop came out {10-Spades}{9-Hearts}{a-Clubs}. The {3-Diamonds} turn locked up the hand for Mizzi, and after the {5-Clubs} was put out on the river, he was shipped the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Sorel Mizzi ca
Sorel Mizzi
18,000 10,500

Tags: Sorel Mizzi

Another Round of Chip Counts

Level 10 : 400/800, 100 ante
Player Chips Progress
Davidi Kitai be
Davidi Kitai
155,000 109,000
Winamax Team Pro
WSOP 3X Winner
Barry Hutter us
Barry Hutter
150,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Nick Guagenti us
Nick Guagenti
150,000 87,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Andreas Hoivold no
Andreas Hoivold
130,000 -5,000
Brandon Cantu us
Brandon Cantu
130,000 80,000
WSOP 2X Winner
David Chase us
David Chase
110,000
Byron Kaverman us
Byron Kaverman
100,000 14,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Mark Dube us
Mark Dube
100,000
Michael Mizrachi us
Michael Mizrachi
95,000 5,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Benjamin Horgan us
Benjamin Horgan
90,000 15,000
Terrence Chan ca
Terrence Chan
70,000 34,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Jesse Sylvia us
Jesse Sylvia
60,000 30,000
Scott Montgomery ca
Scott Montgomery
53,000 28,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Robert Panitch us
Robert Panitch
50,000 25,000
Olivier Busquet us
Olivier Busquet
50,000 30,000
Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
45,000 12,000
Tony Dunst us
Tony Dunst
45,000 22,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Todd Terry us
Todd Terry
43,000 29,000
Jesse Yaginuma us
Jesse Yaginuma
42,000 10,000
Phil Hellmuth us
Phil Hellmuth
40,000 23,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 17X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Sam Cohen us
Sam Cohen
40,000 15,000
Joe Tehan us
Joe Tehan
35,000
Andrew Lichtenberger us
Andrew Lichtenberger
35,000 -2,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Eric Baldwin us
Eric Baldwin
33,000 -4,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Jeff Gross us
Jeff Gross
32,000 -3,000

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Level: 10

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 100

A Lucky Double for Volpe

Level 9 : 300/600, 75 ante

Paul Volpe is running well today. Just a few hours ago (literally) he won a WSOP gold bracelet by defeating Daniel Negreanu in heads-up play in Event #13: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship, and then he jumped straight into this tournament where he is still hanging on.

In a recent hand, Volpe got his stack of 10,275 all in preflop and was in bad shape against hist opponent.

Volpe: {k-Diamonds}{q-Spades}
Opponent: {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts}

Like we said, Volpe is running good today and that was evidenced when the flop came down {6-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} to give him the lead with a pair of queens. The {9-Hearts} turn kept him firmly in the lead, and the {8-Diamonds} river gave him the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Paul Volpe us
Paul Volpe
22,000 11,725
WSOP 3X Winner

Tags: Paul Volpe